Basketball goal



Dec. 23, 1941. SANDEBERG 2,267,222

BASKETBALL GOAL Filed March 10, 1941 I mvwrom ALV |E E. SANDEBERG AT TOR NEY Patented Dec. 23, 1941 UNETED STATES PATENT GFFICE BASKETBALL GOAL Alvie E. Sandeberg, University "City, Mo.

Application Marchlo, 1941, Serial Na-382,543 '3 Claims. (crate-4.5

This invention relates to basket ball goals, and has for its principalobject the production of a goal which can be used with equal success in combination with either a rectangular backboard or a fan-shaped type of backboard provided with an are at its lower edge. Another advantage of my basket ball goal is that it can be quickly and easily transferred from one type of board to the other'without changing the .construction of the goal.

During its annual 1940 meeting, the National Basket Ball Committee adopted the new and smaller basket ball backboard, making its use optional. The new backboard has a cuteout arc at its lower edge, the object of the are being to make the goal more clearly visible to spectators seated in the gallery at the rear ofthe board. The reduction in size of. the new backboard together with the cut-out are at its bottom edge has created the problem of attaching the goal thereto. Also, old style goals made for use on a rectangular board cannot be used on the new, fan-shaped board, and since the manufacturers of the new, fan-shaped boards have each de-v veloped a special goal to fit their .own boards, the goal made by one will not fit the backboard made by another. The disadvantages of this situation are obvious, for it compelled the purchase of a new basket ball goal if an organization wished to change from one type of backboard to the other. Through the use of my invention, however, this difliculty is overcome, for my basket ball goal is adapted to be used, as mentioned above, on either type of board, and can easily be transferred from an old style board to the new, cut-out type, or vice versa.

Fig. l is a perspective of my basket ball goal secured to a fan-shaped backboard, illustrating particularly the securing means in relation to the cut-out arc of the board.

Fig. 2 is a View taken on line 2-2, Fig. 1, showing the angle iron bracing post at the rear of the backboard.

Fig. 3 is a front view illustrating the securing means in relation to the cut-out arc of the backboard.

My basket ball goal comprises the usual ring I, bracing element l, and net 2. A bracket 3 is provided having an upturned flange 3 adapted to be secured to the front face of the backboard B. The flange 3' has a plurality of apertures near its upper edge for the reception of bolts 4, one of said apertures being located exactly in the center of said top edge. A vertical bar extends downwardly from the bracket 3 at the rear thereof .so that the rear face of said bar 5 is flush with they rear face of the flange portion 3' (Fig. 2) '8,I1d the rearmost portion of the brace ing :element .I is'secured (preferablyby welding) ,to the :bottom face of said bar :5 (Figs. 1 and 3). Near its lower end the vertical bar 5 is provided with a threaded aperture 5' for a purpose to be hereinafter set forth.

A bracingpost 6 .of angle construction (preferably of steel) is provided, the flange 6 of said bracingpost being positioned against the rear face of the backboard B, said flange 6 having apertures through'which 'bolts 1 are passed to secure the bracing post to said backboard. The flange 6 also has an aperture to receive the central one of the bolts 4, as will be presently described. The bracing post extends downwardly to a point which will be approximately 4 inches below the level of the goal ring I when the parts'are assembled, and the flange 6 is provided near; its lowerend with an'aperture adapted to receive a relatively heavy, threaded bolt 8, provided with a bolt head 8', although said aperture is unthreaded.

-W-hen my basket ball goal is to be attached to a fan-shaped backboard having a cut-out arc, the procedure is as follows:

The flange 3' of the'bracket13 is placed against the front face of the backboard B immediately above the arc and equidistant from the side edges of the board, so that the apertures in said flange 3 for the reception of the bolts 4 will register with holes previously drilled through said backboard. The central one of the bolts 4 is then passed through the aperture provided for it in the flange 3', through the registering hole in the backboard B, and also through the aperture provided therefor in the flange B of the bracing post 6 (above referred to) and an ordinary washer and nut are attached to said bolt to hold the parts just mentioned rigidly together. The ring I is then brought to a perfectly level position, after which the remaining bolts 4 are passed through the registering apertures in the flange 3' and backboard B andsecurely fastened in place with their respective washers and nuts.

It will be understood from the above that the The lag rigid support, or point of fastening, for the lower end of the vertical bar 5 of the goal bracket 3, as will now be described and is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

The aperture near the lower end of the flange (5 of the bracing post 6 is now approximately opposite the threaded aperture 5' in the bar 5. The heavy bolt 8 (which is threaded almost to its head and is long enough to be adjustable to accommodate backboards of varying thicknesses) is then passed through said aperture in the flange 6 of the bracing post so that its head 8' rests against the rear face of the flange 6 and a threaded lock nut 9 is applied to the bolt 8 and screwed on for some distance. The bolt 8 is then screwed into the threaded aperture 5' in the bar 5 a sufficient distance to bring the ring I of the goal to a level at a right angle to the backboard B, after which the lock nut 9 is screwed backto the flange 6 and tightened. The operation just described provides a rigid, substantial, and adjustable means of attaching the goal bracket to the bracing post, the bolt 8 and lock nut -9 serving as a spreader, also, to hold apart the lower ends of the bracing bar 6 and the vertical bar 5.

From the above it is obvious that my basket ball goal is adjustable to backboards of varying thicknesses, and can be used with backboards constructed of wood, steel, or any other suitable material.

Should it be desired to use my basket ball goal with the old type of rectangular backboard, the same procedure is followed with the exception that a hole is drilled through the backboard to register with the threaded aperture 5' in the vertical bar 5 and the hole near the bottom of the bracing post which receives the bolt 8. The bolt 8 is then passed through the aperture near the bottom of the bracing post 6, through the hole which has been drilled through the backboard, and is threaded through the aperture 5' in the vertical bar 5, the use of the lock nut 9 being rendered unnecessary. V

I claim: I v 1. A basket ball goal secured to a backboard having an arc at its lower edge, comprising a ring supporting bracket for supporting a ring secured to the front face of said backboard and having a downwardly extending element, an upright member secured to the rear face of said backboard, means for holding said backboard in position between said supporting bracket and said upright member, said upright member and said downwardly extending element being spaced apart and adjustably secured together for the accommodation of backboards of varying thicknesses, and means for retaining said downwardly extending element and said upright member in adjusted relation.

2. A basket ball goal secured to a backboard having an are at its lower edge, comprising a ring supporting bracket for supporting a ring secured to the front face of said backboard and having an apertured, downwardly extending element, an upright member secured to the rear face of said backboard, means for securing said supporting bracket, backboard, and upright member rigidly together, said upright member extending downwardly below said are and having an aperture near its. lower end, means, passing through said apertures .for adjustably securing said uprightmember and said downwardly extending element together for the accommodation of .backboards of .varying thicknesses, and means for. retaining saidlast-mentioned parts in adjusted relation.

3. A basket ball goal secured to a backboard having an are at its lower edge, comprising a ring supporting bracket for supporting a ring secured to the front face of said backboard and having a downwardly extending element provided with a threaded aperture, a vertical bracing postssecured to the rear face of said backboard, said supporting bracket, backboard, and bracing post being provided with apertures through which said parts are rigidly secured together, said bracing post extending downwardly below said are and having an unthreaded aperture near its lower end, a threaded bolt passing through said last mentioned aperture and throughthe threaded aperture in said downwardly extending element for adjustably securing said last-mentioned parts together for the aci commodation of cbackboards of varying thicknesses, and a lock nut for retaining said last-men-. tioned parts in adjusted relation.

,ALVIE' E. SANDEBERG. 

